Make This Go On Forever
by Domin0
Summary: Deep inside those maelstrom eyes, the universe of forever remains, waiting to be discovered again. It hides, waiting for the perfect moment, to release its beauty again, to bring two souls together in a moment of everlasting bliss, and show them even in the harsh realities of the world, silent music and dancing lips can last forever. A clock ticks and stops. Forever starts now.
1. Galaxies And Maelstroms

Revamped it again. This is going to be alot different. Enjoy. Review if you want.

**Chapter One: Galaxies And Maelstroms.**

Julie Cooper considered herself a fair woman. You could do whatever you wanted with her:, her and Jimmy and been through enough, but when it came to her daughters, she would lose life and limb for them, which is probably why she was in an airport at midnight with her eldest Marissa.

Said daughter was standing a couple feet away, her eyes wet with tears as her and her best friend said a teary goodbye.

"I appreciate you letting Marissa see her off, I don't know if I would be able to put up with Alex if she didn't get to say goodbye." Robert 'Ace' Kelly thanked her again as he fiddled over something with his assistant, exchanging boarding passes and information for when they landed.

"Trust me; it wouldn't be in my best interest to have not allowed it. Marissa was preparing to handcuff herself to your front door if I hadn't." Julie smiled; the two girls had been inseparable, from the exact moment they met. It was best friends from the get go, and Julie couldn't have been happier for her daughter. Her daughters happiness was all Julie wanted, but the fact that she was rubbing shoulders with movie stars and celebrities at birthday parties was a big plus in her book.

"Thanks Sammy, have the final contract sent over as soon as it's finalized." Rob told his assistant before sending him away, his blue eyes falling briefly on the two girls, their conversation muted by the sounds of the airport. "I don't know if it's the right thing to do, Kirsten said she would let her live in the pool house. I just don't want her mixed up in all of the drama living near my asshole of a father can create." He turned his eyes back to Julie.

"She wants to meet her niece, I mean Caleb is an asshole, but to just turn away family like that." Julie couldn't image ever doing anything to hurt her daughter like that, she would kill before she allowed anything of the sort to happen.

"Well when he met my mother, he was already married and denies that I'm his. And now with the test he merely wants to sweep me under the rug. He thinks I want money, when in short, I could give a flying fuck, Alex deserved a grandfather and he robbed it from her."

"What does Charlie think of you moving so far away? She must want to see Alex?" On top of the baby mama drama, Rob and his wife Charlotte; 'Charlie' had split up, from what Julie could only imagine is the Hollywood curse. Being a famous actress Charlie was extremely busy, and with Rob being one of the most recognizable faces of music, it was a marriage with a ticking time bomb.

"She thinks is extremely drastic, but has already made plans to visit once Alex is settled in at school." Overhead a woman's voice called the first boarding call for Heathrow international. "That's us; I just have to make a quick call, would you excuse me?" Julie nodded, her eyes moving over to the two young women, watching, but unhearing as they said their goodbyes.

"Do you really have to go?" It was a question ten year old Marissa Cooper already knew the answer to, but as she tightened her grip on the taller blonde before her, she hoped that the answer would change, for the brunette didn't know how her heart was going to keep its steady rhythm when Alex left. Yes it might have been dramatic to think, but the blonde had been the reason for its prolonged beating for as long as Marissa could remember, and the young girl was terrified of what would happen when the blonde left the circle of her arms on this chilly September night.

The blonde shifted, her hands creating small patterns on her counterparts back. _No not patterns, words._ Marissa realized, making out the words miss you which only caused her to vainly hold back more tears and she turned her head into the crook of Alex's neck, inhaling deeply.

Coconuts, the blonde always smelled like coconuts, it was one of the things Marissa could remember from when they first met, Alex had defended her when an older boy had kicked her sand castle and when Marissa began to cry, she hugged her. Marissa stopped crying almost immediately, and remarked on it, before Alex settled in and they made a coconut sand castle.

Her lungs inhaled deeply breathing the blonde in, taking in as much of the air surrounding them, starving for it. As the air reached her lungs she tasted another flavour, vanilla, Alex's shampoo was vanilla, she knew because Alex knew it was her favourite kind of ice cream, and had been using it since she was five, when she found out.

The fingers on her back continued to spell out words, broken phrases, and words she couldn't understand but could feel. Overhead she heard a woman's voice call out the first boarding call for Alex's flight. Inhaling deeply once more, she gave her lungs their vice, once again breathing in Alex, the smell of the ocean hitting her lungs, and they savoured it, her lungs would be deprived of their essence soon. Marissa was sure she was being dramatic but no other air filled her lungs like the air saturated in Alex, it filled her, warmed her. No other air would do, it made her heart beat skip in its rhythm and her nerve endings to quiver, and she closed her viridian eyes, willing herself to commit this to memory.

"That's us." Alex's voice was raspy, a quality she inherited from her father. "I don't want to leave you." Marissa's head lifted from the crook of her neck, eyes shining with tears that had yet to fall. From the moment they met, Alex had been captivated by them, she had never seen anything so beautiful, and as she grew her adoration for them grew. And now as she looked into them, she finally understood why. It was staring her in the face the whole time, and it took that instant for her to realize.

She was in love with Marissa Cooper.

"You promise you'll write?" Marissa demanded more them asked. "If you don't write I swear I will find a way over there to whoop your ass. And I want full details! Of everything!"

"I promise." Blue eyes swirled sucking Marissa in, they were like a dangerous storm, you want to turn back, but you're already in too deep when you start to see little golden treasures, hidden deep down tempting you to search to for more, to drown trying to find their hidden wonders.

Marissa could swear the secrets of the oceans, that the hidden secrets of life were hidden in Alex's eyes. Columbus had nothing on her, in this moment Marissa wanted to find the hidden world in those maelstrom eyes.

"You are going to be so beautiful; it's going to suck not being able to see it." Alex tried to lighten the mood, getting a small laugh disguised in sniffles. "I swear to god sometimes I swear you have stars in your eyes. Your eyes are galaxies; I'm always finding something new I could stare at them forever."

It was then, standing fifteen or so paces away from the two girls, so obviously locked in their own world, Julie noticed something change. It was subtle, a simple movement, hands tightening , bodies moving but not at the same time, mouths opening, eyes darting, chests heavy. Julie's eyes stared to watch them move closely, she read the blonde's lips, her mouth dropping slightly as bodies moved, and lips connected.

"Alright everything is all set to go!" Rob stepped into her line of view, blocking the scene she had just witnessed. "Thanks again Julie, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon, what with those two, Alex already plans on coming back next summer."

Recovering quickly, Julie plastered a smile across her face. "Yes of course Rob, it's going to be such a bore..." Everything said after that point didn't matter, if it was up to her, and it was, Marissa would not be seeing or hearing from Alex Kelly for a long, long time. Julie Cooper considered herself a fair woman. But she would protect her family.

"I love you Marissa." Galaxies widened and a tidal wave crashed upon her lips as lapping at the shore, before returning back to the stars before receding with the tide, becoming hidden behind eyelids, before the softest pair of lips connected with hers, stars exploding behind eyelids as gravity disappeared, the known plane of existence fading, until nothing but this instant, this feeling of utter bliss is all that remains. They both think, make this go on forever.

Gentle flutters of lips, eyelashes tickling high cheekbones, hearts beats matching the other in perfect harmony, inhale, exhale; meeting and re meeting, like magnets, unable to retreat far before returning falling into a simple dance the silent music had created.

It's in that instant Marissa knows. Knows Alex's feeling is returned, because a galaxies need oceans, galaxies' need air, and to Marissa unknowingly Alex had been providing her with oceans, and with air, form the day they met. Together they created a plane of existence where only they existed, where they were everything, where galaxies and oceans collide.

They were their own universe's creation, and as lips fell in sync, worlds were created as they touched, a chemical reaction only they create, and time slowly ticks to a stop. A world where this is forever is created, and they are the only occupants.

It's so beautiful. We can make this go on forever.

"Second boarding call for flight…:" The woman's voice destroyed the magnets pull, like being sucked out of a black hole, the world they created disappears, time ticks forward, the universe they created becomes a memory vaulting itself away somewhere deep. The simple dance stopped; exhale, inhale, the beat of their hearts un synced, eyelashes no longer tickled, lips no longer fluttered. The feeling of bliss retreats, disappearing slowly into the deep recesses of their memories, the known plane begins to fade in, the stark contrast causing the cosmic display in viridian eyes to fade, the maelstrom fades, the ocean reveals itself, seeing the moon in those eyes, high tide comes, crashing over eyelids, and down cheek dunes, realizing the mistake, when she sees the confusion in the star speckled eyes.

"Al- what- I-"The words are short and the voice is cracking, arms fall returning home, a step backward, and Alex is cold. Her arms slowly pull away her fingers tracing apologizes as they go, but they are un read, and as her hands falls to her side, the cold spreads, slowly raking through her body until she is the artic, her eyes a reflection of how she feels.

"I'm- I'm sorry I don't, I…" Words cannot explain, she grasps at straws vainly before throwing them away, and grasping anything, "I couldn't leave- I – I'm sorry Marissa." Her head fell, shoulders shaking. "Don't hate me-"

"No." The word brought artic eyes to hers, slowly melting, Marissa hoped she could convey more with her eyes then her words.

"Hey Da Vinci, Come on I know it's pretty much a private flight but we don't want to keep them waiting." Her father's heavy arm lay across her shoulder and squeezed her to his body. He moved forward and brought Marissa into a hug picking her up off the floor. "Hey kid, don't worry; before you know it Alex will be back for spring break!" He squeezed her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Be good! Don't go giving you mom any heart attacks! She's too young for that!"

Marissa smiled lightly, as Julie came up beside her resting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on sweetie, it's late and you have school tomorrow morning." She looked at Alex, her eyes frosty, "We hope to hear from you soon Alex, I'll be waiting for you first letter in the mail to give it to Riss." She plastered another fake smile on before hugging the blonde and kissing her cheek.

"Thanks Mrs. C" Alex smiled at the older woman but felt that something had changed. Had she seen? No she was talking to her father the entire time, too busy to notice the galaxy and ocean colliding. Looking over again she put on a brave face, and smiled at Marissa. "So I guess I'll be seeing you star."

"Goodbye Alex." She wanted to hug her, but felt her body would explode after what had just happened. Her body was hyper aware of how close she other girl was, and this was a safe distance to keep her lungs from trying to breath her in again.

"Goodbye Marissa." Turning around, she began to walk towards the gate, following her father, each step was like a cosmic explosion in her head, echoing as she got father away.

"Hey Alex!" Stopping she turned. "You smell like those things monkeys use for a bra!" She yelled, remembering the first thing she ever said to the blonde, that day on the beach all those years ago, when the ocean met its galaxy.

The smile that spread across the girls face as contagious, are artic eyes thawed back into beautiful pacific, "You want to make a bra sand castle?" she shouted back, and felt her heart beat pick up again knowing that the girls across from hers was doing the same until they were harmonious again, for a split second before returning to their natural rhythm. After committing everything she could to memory, Alex turned and disappeared through the gate, the door shutting behind her.

Leaving the airport Marissa dozed off. Her dreams searching for that universe her and Alex had created, where they were everything, where the world of forever existed and on it that utter moment of complete and total bliss that would define the way she lived over the next six years.

**five years three hundred sixty four days twenty three hours and forty five minutes late..**

She never wrote. She never called. After a month of silence Julie walked into her room with an envelope finally. She had been miserable for the month she had been gone, and seeing the letter literally got stars exploding in her eyes.

But as she read the note, the stars slowed and the universe remained hidden in her mind, as the cosmic dance that had already begun, was halted by the reality of the words on the paper before her. As she got to the end, black holes had formed, sucking all memory of the forever universe into the deep recess of her mind, protecting her from the raging maelstrom she couldn't reason with, her galaxy wasn't as bright, the stars dimmed, the air they so desperately needed nowhere to be found.

It had said that she had made a mistake and could no longer talk to her. She wouldn't visit or continue writing, the kiss had meant nothing, and to Alex so did their friend ship. It was short and to the point, like ripping off a band aid and it was all Marissa's fault. She quickly wrote a letter back, telling Alex that it couldn't end, how could you end something that was bigger than them? They had no control of this, and eventually it would return they were like magnets, the galaxy would collide with the ocean again. She wrote the letter and gave it to her mother to return. She waited weeks, and got nothing in return. After writing more letters then she could count, she gave up hope.

Life continued, she made new friends, got a new bestie, and slowly forgot all about coconuts, vanilla, oceans and galaxies. But always in the back of her mind it was there, she would sometimes space out and get lost in memories, memories that meant so much more now.

It was hard finding love like that at such a young age. Words were spoken but never understood, by the both of them; now looking back she understood them a little more. She kissed boys, but none of them caused that instant of absolute bliss like the one she had shared with Alex.

Alex had become a famous artist, she even had her own gallery in London where she still resided. Marissa followed her career secretly, her first pieces were sold for big money and they were amazing, Kirsten Cohen her boyfriend's mom had one hanging up in her house. She could feel the emotion crashing into her as she admired it. She had won numerous awards and had a very lucrative producing career that she began to focus on more as of late.

The sound of waves lapping brought Marissa out of her memories. She was at the abandoned lifeguard tower, this had been where she had meet little Alex Kelly. She had been four Alex was six, all tomboyish with a missing front tooth and dirt covered knees.

She was the cutest thing Marissa had ever seen.

Looking out at the ocean she wondered if Alex was somewhere doing the same thing, thinking the same thoughts. Her world had been empty; lately it was becoming more noticeable. Everything bored her, her boyfriend, even though Ryan was great. Her friends, Summer and Seth could have their own sitcom with the stupid shit they pull. Her home life was crap, her little sister had gotten shipped off to boarding school, her father was running a cruise ship in Hawaii, and her mom had re married the devil. Caleb Nichols, but he's a whole didn't story.

It seemed she was only content when she was here, at the life guard tower, thinking about unknown planes of existence and how many new sunken galaxies Alex had pulled into her eyes.

_Its like you have stars in your eyes, I could stare at them forever._ The words slipped out from her memory banks, those maelstrom eyes sucking her in, drowning her, consuming her.

Without realizing it, a tear had slipped down her cheek; she wiped it away hastily, placing her hands on her chest as her lungs inhaled, exhaled. The air was needed, not welcomed. It tasted nothing like her, no coconuts, and no vanilla. The only thing that was right was the ocean, but it was still wrong because it wasn't her. It wasn't Alex.

She wondered if she still smelled the same. She hoped she did. Because she hoped one day she would come back, and forgive her.

"I thought that was your car." Ryan Atwood's voice cut the serenity of the gentle waves lapping at the shore. "What are you doing here it's almost midnight."

"Couldn't sleep, went for a walk and ended up here." She stood, pulling her hoody closer to her body. Ryan wrapped his jacket around her as well before pecking her on the lips. Nope, no stars exploding, she just had to make sure, you never know when your hearts going to start working again was her reasoning. "You?"

"I was just going for a drive, couldn't sleep either," he checked his watch. "I didn't think I would be out until midnight though." He grinned, before grasping her hand in his, it was much too large his hand, and it swallowed hers up, no breathing room.

Six whole years, Marissa thought as the realization dawned on her. Maybe I should just move on, she hates me, cause if she didn't, she would have tried to contact me by now, right? Sighing she rested her head on Ryan's shoulder.

As they walked further from the shore a rough breeze ruffled Marissa's hair as she inhaled deeply, the scent of vanilla, her vanilla filled her lungs, she exhaled almost choking but played it off as a light cough as she inhaled again, her head becoming light as for a split second that one utterance of complete bliss flooded her body, and then as quickly as it happened, vanished. Inhale, exhale, the air was no longer vanilla scented, and they were at the front door of Caleb's monstrous mansion.

"I'll pick you up at eight!" With that Ryan kissed her deeply once before pecking her lightly on the lips and smiling at her.

Blinking, Marissa stared at the eyes looking at her, Ryan's blue eyes where changing, they were, they were an ocean, a maelstrom sucking her in, drowning her, consuming her, promising her hidden worlds if she dove into them, blink, back to being Ryan's baby blues. Noticing Ryan furrowed his eyebrows.

"You okay?" Marissa nodded, smiling widely to appease him before spinning and entering her house, closing the door she fell back against it.

_I love you Marissa. _The words reverberated off the corners of her mind, eyes closed, Marissa allowed the weight of the ocean to carry her to another plane of existence, where galaxies and oceans met, universe's were created, where tsunami's of emotions raged, and black holes to moments of utter bliss existed, where it was only Marissa and Alex, in a world she could make that one memory of beauty could last forever.

Enjoy. Domin0


	2. Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking

_**Chapter 2: Somewhere a clock is ticking...**_

_Alex I don't think we should talk anymore. What happened at the airport was wrong and you're not in love with me. I'm straight Alex, and if you're not I can't have you in my life. I'm sorry if this hurts you but it's the truth. If you attempt to contact me I'll have to tell my mom, and who knows what she'll do. It was fun while it lasted, but it ends now. I can't be friends with you anymore if you're a freak. That's just the way it has to be._

_Marissa._

The letter was worn out, the edges of the paper it was written on fraying, mocking the artist from the corkboard it was pinned to, as arctic eyes read it again, over and over, each word twisting the knife in her heart. It didn't promise hidden stars, or unknown universes. There was no hope in those words, but for six years she refused to believe them. She still hoped for the galaxy to collide with the ocean, to explode into cosmic splendor, still hoped deep within her barely there heart that it would harmonize with its mate again, that lips would flutter and silent music would guide them back into the simple dance they lost themselves in all those years ago.

Alex still believed in the world she and Marissa could create with their love, the world where they were all that existed; where a single moment lasts forever. There was nothing to prove that it was what Marissa wanted as well, there was no way of her knowing, other than her heart speeding to that wonderful rhythm she only felt for a fleeting seconds at the thought of seeing those viridian galaxies.

If it was so wrong, why was it so perfect? Why would the world show us something so beautiful, if it's wrong?

It was bigger than them, whatever it was it was something that was bound to happen. It was written in the stars. No not the stars, it was written in her eyes. Their story, unfinished, was waiting for her, waiting for her in Newport.

Maelstroms moved from the letter, fraying and tattered, fingers touched the name, tracing the letters, before moving towards the left, following a line she had traced millions of times, the line from where she was on the map, straight across the ocean, to where her universe was. To where fingertips grazed sun kissed skin during sleepovers, to where they left notes, unspoken words she didn't understand back then, but could decipher now.

Her fingertips warmed slightly at the thought, tracing the place where her heart rested. Six years, does she still think about me? Does she know everything I've painted was for her? Does she think about me still? Does she know everything I've done all went back to her? It was all because of her.

The success she had with her art, had stemmed from the longing and lost and at one point hatred she had built up over the years. Leaving Newport had killed her, but in the coming years, without her galaxy, her universe put Alex to the ultimate test.

She turned from the corkboard, her eyes flashing over a picture of her and Marissa when they were young and free, before all of this happened. They were smiling at each other, ice cream cones in hand, and even then, it seemed they were already there in their own world, where no one could touch them. In their suspended reality where seconds were hours and hours were days.

Grabbing a brush and dipping it into green paint she turned and began to splash her canvas, letting her emotion control her movements.

It hadn't taken as long as she had originally thought settling in, she had lived here before, she was born in England. They had moved to the states when she was three because her mother began getting movie offers and her father decided it would be easier to move to the states to continue recording and touring. She liked her school well enough, and had made a couple of friends as well.

She had sent a letter to Marissa the day she landed, and got the return one a week later. She sent more letters trying to save the friendship, but all of her letters where unanswered, and after a couple of months, she stopped sending them. She had begun to hate Marissa, she was there to, and it wasn't like she was pushing her away kicking a screaming for a priest to absolve her sins.

It was then Alex discovered that there were certain things she could do, to make woman fall at her feet. In May of that year, she lost her virginity, but sent the girl home in tears the next day because it didn't work.

Touching her and kissing her didn't remove the thoughts of that hidden world from her memory. It didn't remove the memory of bliss. Soon she stopped kissing; there was no need for it if it didn't give her the simple dance she craved. Soon it was rough and fast, uncaring, empty, because that's what it felt like. There were no cosmic explosions behind eyelids, no maelstroms tempting unaware ships into its midst. Soon it was just to see if someday, that moment would recreate itself, when her heart beat in unison, when her lips danced slowly with a perfect partner, and her ocean gave life to hidden galaxies.

At seventeen she sold her first piece, and her career as an artist began. She thought it was shit, but collectors couldn't get enough, saying the raw emotion was incredible. Critics too couldn't get enough and soon, she was gaining a following. There were 6 pieces in the collection. The final one hanging in her gallery in downtown London, she named the piece cosmic maelstrom. It was the only way she knew how to describe the feeling she had when she had kissed Marissa, she had tried writing songs about it, but words didn't do it justice. It was the only one out of the collection not for sale, despite the large offered collector's where throwing at her, this piece remained scared to her.

It was about that same time, when Rob announced that he had another daughter, telling her this while he passed her a joint probably wasn't the best way to go about it, but what can you expect with a rock star for a dad. Alex practically lost her mind when he told her she would be moving in and living with them, on account her mother had passed away.

Well those Kelly genes sure are strong because Jaeme Woods was pretty much a carbon copy of Alex. Only she was paler, her eyes were cloudy, she was shorter and her hair was a deep rich mahogany. Rob had kept it out of the public eye, and Jaeme liked the fact that she wouldn't get harassed in the street it stayed like that, the media was told that Jaeme was a distant relative who would be staying with them for an indefinite amount of time.

She had been a pest at first, but slowly Alex started to come to come around. It took a bit and a lot of fights, but soon they were getting along famously, Alex even allowing the younger to use her studio, it seemed the artistic gene was another Kelly quality, that was on display in the younger girl.

"Do you ever stop?" Speaking of the devil, Alex took her eyes from the canvas meeting cloudy counterparts. "It looks good, maybe you should try some red, might bring out some of the raw emotion." She pointed out, tilting her head to the side.

"This is just a stress reliever. I was waiting for you to be ready." Checking the watch on her wrist she noted the time. "We better run, dad said the jet would be ready by 4 and its one." She rested her brush on a stool, before going to her messy desk.

"So are you going to see her? When you get there I mean?" See a bit of a pest, Jaeme had been told about Marissa already; the story had gotten her to go all sister defensive, which Alex appreciated but didn't need.

"Maybe, but it's a big city; we may never run into each other. You might though, seeing as you need to still go to school." She brushed the question off, shoving her phone into her pocket, ignoring the text from Veronica while doing so.

"Of all places to build the label you are going to go back there? Why not L.A? It's probably a lot more exciting there anyways." Jaeme continued, thunderstorm eyes trying to read to frozen glaciers before her.

"Jaeme." Thunderstorm eyes dropped to the floor. "I appreciate what you're doing really, I do, and as annoying as it is, I love you for it. But this is something that I need to do." Holding her keys she moved to the corkboard, her fingers pulling the thumbtack out, she folded the letter once and then twice, before placing it in the inside pocket of her light pea coat.

"I just don't want you to get hurt. I mean, after one kiss and you're like a miserable old cat lady, I can only imagine what's going to happen when you see her again." Glaciers glared. "Sorry, about the cat lady part." She tossed in after.

Sighing and throwing her arm around her sister's shoulder, she walked them out of the studio, flicking the lights off as she did. "I'll be fine. The worst of it's over anyways, it's in the past. I just want to go, build my record label and surf." She smiled widely at the thought of the waves crashing down on her as she rode a wave.

"I never understood that sport, so silly, thinking you can conquer a wave." They were outside, climbing into Alex's Audi r8.

"Maybe you should try it." Alex suggested, and laughed at the immediately cries of disapproval. Starting the car, a smooth beat began to hum from the speakers. "Alright let's get outta here, surf, sand and sun on the way." The engine roared to life as she peeled out of the driveway, waving to the paparazzi that were camped out front of their large estate.

_Ready or not... Here I come... You can't hide, I'm gonna find you…_

She was going back, going back to find that moment, when the ocean and galaxy collided. Where she and Marissa were everything, she was going to find that place called forever even if it destroyed her un- rhythmic heart.

The first couple days of school were boring. Half the student body was still on vacation, including Summer and Seth, who had gone to the Dominican and were returning today. This worked for Marissa since she had already gotten everything for the kick off carnival finalized, which made her week even lighter.

There was a buzz humming around the campus today as she walked from her first period to second block. Ignoring it, Marissa cut through the crowds desperate for a coffee.

As she turned a corner, she bumped straight into someone, causing her books and coffee to fall on the floor. Luckily none of the hot liquid fell on either of them, but Marissa could see that some of their books had not been so lucky.

"I'm terribly sorry, are you okay?" The voice was raspy and there was an English accent to accompany it. Looking up, Marissa froze for a second, the thunderstorm eyes she had locked onto causing her heart to speed up to a certain beat, only to return to normal upon realizing its call was un- needed. Blinking Marissa continued to stare at the other girl. It was a dark haired version of Alex, not completely identical, but she would have to be blind not to see it. "Um are you okay?" Mini Alex spoke again.

"Yes I'm fine, sorry without that coffee it takes a couple extra seconds for everything to process." Marissa explained, kneeling down to collect her things, she picked up a black hard cover book completely covered with coffee. "Sorry about your book, I'll buy you another one." she handed back the destroyed book gingerly, hoping not to cause any more damage.

"Its fine I've got tons of these anyways. Now thank god you didn't do that to my face or else we might have had some problems." She grinned, the thunderstorms in her eyes parting showing clear grey clouds their wake. "Jaeme Woods, transfer student, please to make your acquaintance." She bowed slightly removing the saggy beanie she wore on her head as she did so.

"Thank god for quick reactions." Marissa grinned, laughing slightly as Jaeme bowed. "Such manners are all travellers from your country so polite."

"Only me and six others, seven tops." The dark haired girl smiled, replacing her beanie. Those thunderstorms returned as her eyes scanned Marissa, some sort of realization dawning upon her. "You're Marissa, right? Marissa Cooper?"

"How'd you know that?" A shocked Marissa responded, answering the other girls question without meaning to.

"M16 sent me. You're in grave danger; we must get you out of the country immediately." Lips pressed into a thin line, thunderstorms regarded her, before a grin spread across her face. "You should have seen your face, no I was just in with Dr. Kim she won't shut up about you, and I swear she might have a bit of a thing for you if I didn't know any better."

"Why would she be talking about me with you?" Marissa asked again, feeling she already answered her own question. "I'm your guide?"

"Nope, she wants me to talk to you about live bands for the kick off whatever." She responded flippantly, like it was no big deal.

"But the carnival is this weekend; we can't find a live band by then." Marissa started to panic, this carnival was her legacy, the mark she was going to leave on the school, and she even got a Ferris wheel god damnit, wasn't that enough? No obviously not because not Dr. Kim wants her to go get permits for sound and staging in three fucking days. "I have to get permits and approvals, not only find a band, God damn it why couldn't she tell me this when we had our meeting yesterday?!"

"Wow, don't hulk out or anything, that's where I come in, I can get a permit and everything by tonight, I just have to go see my aunt and I got connections with some small bands in L.A through my sister, it will be fine." Jaeme chuckled, "So you're welcome in advance for securing your legacy. See you around I got to go find wherever science lab 4 is." With a grin and a two finger salute, the girl steps around Marissa and down the hall.

As she steps by the smell of coconuts and vanilla invades her lungs. Her treacherous body inhaling deeply, tasting the air as Jaeme walks by, her heart beat speeds again staying in the rhythm for longer this time waiting for its partner to join.

The memory comes in, a clock ticks to a stop, the unknown plane lays before her, the universe they created greeting her, she steps onto the plane, viridian galaxies meeting a maelstrom, the tide turns and the two worlds collide and from the cosmic display the world of forever emerges. Everything is there, except for her mate, except for the other half of her soul. As realization sinks in, the world slowly disappears, a clock ticks forward, and the world of reality returns.

As Jaeme walks away, the beating returns back to its normal lull, and her lungs exhale the enriched air, before inhaling again, normal air won't do, not after the taste they just had, her lungs fill with air free of the vanilla taste and she nearly retches choking slightly. Her lungs reject the air and her heart hurts, her galaxies holding back the rivers of tears she wants to release. Inhale, exhale.

She breaths slowly, allowing her lungs to get re acquainted with the air they no longer crave. Breathing was a necessity, not a want. Viridian eyes turned to catch a glimpse of the dark haired girl turn the corner, disappearing from her line of sight, before her breathing returned to normal.

This is getting very strange, first on the beach and now here with this girl? What's happening to me? Composed, she began to walk down the hallway in the opposite direction. Is this my brain telling me I've finally gone mad? Should I just forget about it, about her?

With many questions running through her head, Marissa made her way to her next class, Wondering if six years is too long to hold onto something that might have never been real in the first place. Maybe she was holding on to something, that was never there, they were kids, they didn't know what love was, and Alex made it clear in her letter that she wanted nothing to do with her.

Entering the class she sat in the back, and immediately went into her bag, pulling out a tattered paper she unfolded it and read the letter once more.

_Marissa, I don't think we should speak anymore. What happened at the airport was wrong and I'm sorry I did it, but I can't help my feelings even if you don't return them. I'm sorry but this is the only way. Please do not contact me again; I need to get you out of my life, so I can continue mine. If you continue to write I will return your letters. This is the way it has to be Marissa. Forget about me, it's better this way. Goodbye Marissa. _

_Alex._

Replacing the paper in her bag, Marissa looked forward, determination in her galaxies, stars shinning in her eyes; she would do it this time. She would forget her.

The memories of unknown planes and hidden worlds wasn't real, this was real, this dull reality that was to bright too harsh to real was real. It had never happened, the silent music, and simple dancing their lips created, the harmonious beat their hearts created wasn't real, the essence she breathed wasn't anything special, her lungs needed oxygen, whether it is saturated in vanilla and coconuts and the ocean needn't matter. It still filled her lungs, kept her alive. The unknown plane they created didn't exist, the colliding of ocean and galaxy the creation of a new universe made from their love was a farce.

The lost world of forever, were moments lasted hours and hours lasted days didn't exist. She was no longer a twelve year old, a green horn to the ways of love. She would forget how it felt to have eyelashes tickling her cheeks, to have her entire being wrapped in warmth, forget the simple music their bodies created with a touching of lips; she would forget the universe of forever.

Somewhere a clock is ticking. And all Marissa wants is it to stop. For something to happen to show her she isn't crazy, that they weren't just two kids caught up in the moment that they were more, more than this too bright too harsh reality. She wanted something to show her, universes can be created from love.

Maelstrom eyes look out into the ocean. The lifeguard house is abandoned, but memories come rushing back to her once she walks up the wooden path. Her hand rests on the railing, feeling the carved wood under her hand. Looking down, a smile stretches across her lips; her and Marissa's initials stare back at her, and as the waves crash upon the shore, somewhere a clock ticks once, twice and then stops.

Maelstrom eyes are tempting again, calling viridian galaxies, daring them to come closer, to brave the storm and search its dangerous waters for their hidden treasure, to dive in and be consumed, embraced by its waves.

Deep inside those maelstrom eyes, the universe of forever remains, waiting to be discovered again. It hides, waiting for the perfect moment, to release its beauty again, to bring two souls together in a moment of everlasting bliss, and show them even in the harsh realities of the world, silent music and dancing lips can last forever.

Somewhere a clock ticks forward, once, twice, thrice, before halting, the sound echoing across the vastness of space. Forever begins now.


	3. Home Sweet Home

**Chapter Three: Home Sweet Home.**

* * *

_The following days after the Kelly's departure went by quickly, and soon the first week of school was coming to a close. It was Friday morning and Julie had just returned from dropping the girls off at school, retrieving the mail, she walked into the house, checking through them. As she flipped through bills, and flyers, her eyes stopped as a green envelope caught her attention. _

_Immediately she set the other mail down on a table, and opened the letter, unfurling the letter she began to read._

**_Sept 5_****_th_********_2008_**

**_It's been 5 minutes and I miss you already. We haven't even taken off yet, and already I feel like there's a thousand miles between us. As soon as I sat down I started to cry. I didn't want you to see me cry, because I know it would have made it all the harder to actually get on the plane. _**

**_We're taking off now, and all I want is to run off this plane and back to you. Why didn't I see it before? How perfect you are, how perfect we are. I asked mom once what it was like when she kissed dad for the first time, she said she couldn't explain it, and when I found it I would know. _**

**_Every time I blink I see you there, and I can't find words to describe it. I see your eyes in my mind, and all I see is the universe where massive oceans collide with unknown stars and galaxies, and create the place where time doesn't exist. _**

**_I can still feel your lips on mine, I can feel your eyelashes tickling my cheeks, I can still taste you in the air I breathe, I can still hear the music our lips made, and I want nothing more than to continue our simple dance. _**

**_Did you feel it to? Did you feel the world shift, did you hear the music, and did you feel our hearts making a rhythm solely for us? _**

**_Was this what my mother was talking about when she said it's like fireworks? She said her and dad were like magnets, always being pulled to the other, their lips creating stories. _**

**_We've just created a beginning Marissa, this isn't where it ends, this is where it begins. We've seen the world we can create, and I personally can't wait to see it again. _**

**_I'll write again when I get home. I'm going to try to sleep, because I'm hoping my dreams are filled with you. I love you Marissa, the address will be in the ps. don't keep me waiting!_**

******_Love Alex._**

_Finishing she placed the letter back in the envelope, her resolve was cracking, but she steeled herself. Her daughter wasn't gay, Alex was her oldest and best friend, and she was just confused with her feelings because her best friend moved across the world. This would pass, she told herself as she walked towards her room the letter still in hand. _

_Entering her room she walked into her ridiculously large closet and went to the very back where she put her out of style clothes. Moving them to the side, she revealed a secret door behind the garments, opening it she placed the letter inside, before shutting it, concealing it once more before leaving._

_As the days continued to pass, Marissa would ask for mail everyday she got home from school. Julie would smile sadly and simply shake her head, watching as the weeks turned into a month her daughter slowly loosing hope._

_As October came and as Julie dropped Marissa off one morning, her daughter held out an envelope to her mother. _

_"__Can you mail this for me? Maybe she got the zip code wrong, or mussed up on the spelling." Handing the letter over, Julie smiled and nodded. "Thanks mom, can you send on like fast post or something? It's really important." _

_"__Of course sweetie, I'll go to the post office right now." Julie lied, smiling at her daughter to reassure her. The smile she was rewarded with was huge, viridian eyes glittering with happiness, before she hugged her mom and jumped out of the car and into school._

_Julie added Marissa's letter to the growing pile in her hidden cubby. There were over twenty letters from the month of September in there already. Julie didn't read any more of them, she merely hid them and went back to her business._

_A week after she had 'mailed' the letter, when Marissa returned from school, she rushed the kitchen. Not bothering to acknowledge her mom she went straight to the mail, her eyes glittering as she looked for one addressed to her. When there was nothing the glitter green irises became dull._

_"__Maybe it will come tomorrow?" Julie smiled trying to cheerful her daughter. "Hey come on, let's go out, we can go spend dads pay check." She suggested. Marissa shook her head._

_"__No, I'm not in the mood. I'm just going to go do my homework." Her voice was defeated, and she dragged her feet up to her room, her door clicking shut behind her._

_The next day Julie meticulously wrote a letter to Marissa copying Alex's writing perfectly, and added it to the mail on the kitchen island, and waited._

_When Marissa returned from school, she greeted her mom and didn't check the mail. She continued through the kitchen towards her room._

_"__You're not going to check the mail?" Julie called, smiling as her daughter whipped around, her eyes wide, and a clear look of hope etched across her face. The older woman nodded and watched as Marissa tore through the mail, finding the forged letter and ripping it open, her eyes glittering, before slowly they became dull again, and them panicked. She turned on her heel and ran to her room. _

_Julie didn't see her for the rest of the night, and the next morning during breakfast, Marissa handed her and envelope address to London England. "Can you send this out on fast post again? It's very important." Julie only nodded._

_After dropping her daughters off, Julie skipped the post office and put Marissa's letter with the collection, and wrote another letter, this one in Marissa's writing addressed it to Alex and sent it off. _

_Three days passed, and her collection was getting big, her letter didn't seem to deter the blonde girl. But the lack of response from Alex was wearing Marissa thin, and after five months in May, she stopped asking for letters, and began to move on. _

_Julie noticed how her daughter eyes didn't light up anymore, and how her smile was strained. It's for the best. She kept telling herself, life went on, Alex continued to send letters, and her collection continued to grow. Months turned to a year, Marissa was making new friends, and slowly her eyes began to glitter again, her smile not as strained. _

_On Marissa's thirteenth birthday a present came in the mail from Alex. She repackaged the iPod, and made it a gift from her, before adding the letter in with the hundreds of others. _

_Years passed, Julie and jimmy got a divorcewhen Marissa turned fifteen and Marissa's began to hate her mother. Drinking and drugs became a regular for the teen, but then Ryan Atwood rolled around and levelled her out. Julie had a scare when Marissa was sixteen when she dated a girl Roxy, to get back at her, which didn't last long because she got back with Ryan._

_She married Caleb Nichols before Marissa's junior year, and sent Kaitlin off to boarding school while things got settled, which set Marissa right off, causing her to skip school and break up with Ryan for some drug dealing asshole, who almost got her killed, and was scented to twenty years in prison. She went back to Ryan. Throughout the summer leading up to her final school year, Julie noticed Marissa slowly losing the glittering eyes, she wouldn't fight back anymore, and her smile was often painted on._

_Julie reminded herself that she was protecting her. Protecting her from the scum of the world who would hate her if she was gay. It's for the best she would remind herself._

_All through that time, six years, and letters still arrived weekly. Julie wondered how she had gotten the new address, but figured that she could have gotten it from Kirsten. Kirsten mentioned that she had kept in touch with her niece, and even bought some of her artwork, so it was only plausible. _

_It was August thirty first, Kirsten and Julie were at the yacht club having lunch, chit chatting, when Kirsten said something that cause her to turn her head so fast her neck almost broke,_

_"__Sorry pardon me?" _

_"__I've been working on a side project, remember that beach house. The one Rob and Charlie lived in with that hidden beach? I'm remodeling it and renovating it. Robs told me that Alex is going to take a break from the art scene to focus on producing, and he offered to help her build a label. We're building a studio for them on the pier."_

_"__Alex is coming back?" Julie nearly choked on her water as the information sunk in. Well this is an onion in the ointment. _

_"__Yup she should be here tomorrow, I'm going to have a party at my house Saturday at my house, a welcoming party, I told dad, he's excited to see his granddaughters."_

_"__Hey back up a second. Daughters? As in plural? I didn't know Robert and Charlie had a second child." _

_"__The life of a rock star? It not Charlie's that's why they divorced, she found out, and was super pissed." Kirsten explained. "Her name is Jaeme, and she's Marissa's age, Robert already enrolled her at Harbour. Isn't it great?"_

_Julie shook the shock from her face and smiled, hoping the blonde did notice the fear in her eyes. All of her work, to keep them apart and now this. _

_Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. _

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay babe? You've been distant the past week." Ryan asked as he parked the car in the Cohen driveway turning the ignition off, blue eyes regarded her.

"I'm fine Ryan, the carnival was very tiring, and I just want to relax. So let's go, pretend to be interested, and sneak to the pool house first chance we get." Marissa felt like a broken record. All week Ryan had been asking what was wrong. She couldn't well tell him that she was in love with a woman she hadn't seen in six years. So she continued to find excuses to keep his questions at bay.

"You read my mind. Come on lets go." He got out of the range rover and ran to her door, opening it for her and helping her out. "It looks like the entire yacht club is here."

"Whose party is this anyways?" They reached the door, muffled chatter slipping into the dusk.

"Caleb granddaughters moved here, so Kirsten is throwing them a party." Marissa raised her eyebrows.

"That doesn't make any sense." the door opened and the muffled chatter became clear as they stepped into the foyer.

"Well turns out that Caleb had a son. He covered it up because it was bad for business, but now that there here," Ryan shrugged his shoulders as he hung their coats, before taking Marissa's hand in his.

His hand were too big and they were sweaty, but she held it anyways. As she looked around she recognized some faces, spotting Seth and Summer in the kitchen she pointed and allowed herself to be lead over.

"Hey guys, ready to kill yourself yet?" was Marissa's greeting which earned a laugh.

"No but if someone asks me once more how I feel I'm going to hang myself from this very chandelier." Seth said miserably, Summer cooed and kissed him sweetly.

"Better?" he only shrugged, she gave him a glare and immediately he brightened smiling. "That's what I thought."

"So where are these people? It's hard to have a welcome party if you don't know who to welcome." Ryan looped his arm around her waist.

"They aren't here yet, Kirsten said they got caught in traffic coming back from L.A, but they should be here soon." Summer explained. Marissa nodded as they continued to chat, not paying attention as her mind wandered.

"I'm going to go to the washroom, I'll be back." Marissa broke away from Ryan, weaving between people she headed to the upstairs bathroom.

As she washed her hands downstairs she could hear the welcome as the guests of honour arrived. She looked at her reflection. She looked fine, but if she looked deep enough she could see the sadness in her eyes that she had learned to hide so well. She smiled, the painted smile she saw cause a twist in her abdomen. Inhaling deeply she fixed her hair, before leaving the bathroom, heading back downstairs.

As she stepped off the steps, it hit her. Her lungs breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet salty air they had been deprived of for so long. The taste filled her, spreading through her limbs, warming her skin. She shook her head, moving back towards she had left Ryan.

Reaching where they had been she found they had moved. The only place they would go would be the pool house so she began to make her way there, slipping out into the backyard quietly, she closed the door softly, stepping backwards once before turning around and running straight into a hard body, her heart skipped, her lungs inhaled deeply, that ocean smell causing her head to become slightly foggy, she fell back catching herself on the door before she fell.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Marissa steadied herself, fixing her dress. A sweet familiar scent hit her nose, her heart began to speed, beating widely, and her lungs continued to inhale the salt enriched air. She felt like she was breathing again for the first time, like this was air worthy of her lungs. Realizing that there was no response to her apology, Marissa shook the feeling off, before looking up.

"I was right. You are absolutely beautiful." The voice was raspy, mature and had a slight accent, the words carried across the distance between them caressing her ears with its dulcet tones, her hair was longer now, flowing over her shoulders in golden waves. She was taller, a couple inches taller than she, her body lithe and wiry, compared to her slim and lean. Her lips were fuller, complete with a diamond pierced through the bottom left corner, her nose sloped like a wave, her cheeks had lost there childish look and her eyes were heavy lidded, and sultry.

It happened so fast, inhale, exhale, step forward, finally viridian and maelstrom meet, crashing together, the waves pulling her deeper, she was looking for treasure again, she was tempted by the gold flickering in her irises. They step again, their hearts beat, slowly syncing, the song returned. Hands reached out, unable to deny the magnetic field that they create, fingers meet skin, and nerves blaze, as fingers write notes.

Face to face, eyes reacquainting themselves, their breath mingling, their hearts beat in unison, the silent music drowns out the noise from inside the house, they both hear a clock tick once and stop. Their lips a hairs breath from there partners, a hand cups Marissa's cheek, thumb dragging along her bottom lip, her eyes dart down, then back to the stormy ocean eyes before her.

Viridian galaxies hidden by eyelids, waiting for the spark, the trigger that would bring them to forever again. Kiss me, take me there. I want forever, take me away from this reality, take me to our universe, please.

There was a loud crash, the clock ticked forward again, and the moment was broken. Jumping back from the woman before her, she quickly turned, trying to comps herself as the door opened and Ryan emerged.

"There you are, I was looking for you, Kirsten wants to introduce you…" he trailed off his eyes falling on the figure standing behind Marissa. "To bad you seemed to have doe the introduction part yourself." Still lightly lost in her thoughts Marissa furrowed her brow.

"I don't understand." Marissa said stupidly, Ryan smiled at her, before kissing her quickly. She heard the sharp intake of breath behind her, and cut it short. "You were explaining?"

"Marissa this is Alexandra Kelly, Caleb's eldest granddaughter. Jaime is here to, remember the girl who helped you with the carnival?"

Turning, their eyes locked again and Alex gave her a lopsided smile, like on the day they met at the beach all those years ago, with skinned knees and a backwards cap, eyes shining, with two missing teeth.

"Cooper, it's nice to see you again. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other soon, it would be nice to catch up." She said smoothly, so much more in control then her. How can she be so calm, doesn't she remember what she put me through? "Ryan was it? It's a pleasure, now if you'll excuse me I need to find my sister." She walked past Marissa slipping a note into her dresses pocket, her fingers tracing a quick note on her as she passed before disappearing into the house.

Ryan looked at his girlfriend, "You two know each other?" he questioned.

"It was a long time ago." Marissa replied, "I'm not feeling too well, I'm going to go lay down."

"Do you want some water or something?" she shook her head, he nodded and walked with her, making sure she was comfy. Informing her he was going to inform Kirsten where she was, he left promising to return as quickly. As the door shut behind him, Marissa immediately clutched the note and opened it.

_Yes I knew you would be here, Kirsten told me that her adoptive son was dating Julie's daughter, I insisted she make it a welcoming party at the last minute so I would be able to see you. _

_I know it's been a long time, and we barely know each other anymore, but we do need to talk meet me at the lifeguard tower tonight after the party. If you don't come I'll leave you be. I'll be there at around midnight. _

_Alex._

I'll be there. She nodded with determination, her jaw set. It was time to move on. No more pining over a woman who literally told you she didn't want you. Placing her head on the pillow she closed her eyes.

As she did, the events that just happened flickered across her eyelids, hitting her like a wave, and instead of fighting it like she wanted, she drifted, allowing the wave to pull her under. The raspy voice echoing in her mind.

_I was right. You are absolutely beautiful._ The voice echoed and pulled her deeper, consuming her, before she drifted into a light sleep, the visions on her eyelids creating the universe she and Alex created.


	4. Vanilla Orchids Dipped In Gold

**Chapter Four: Vanilla Orchids Dipped In Gold**

"You don't look like you've aged a single day Mrs. C." Her voice had become raspier over the years, but Julie recognized it immediately. She plastered a fake smile on, turning her eyes caught sight of an all grown up Alexandria Charlotte Kelly.

She could still see the little five year old tomboy, with scraped knees and scratched elbows, and a toothy grin in those ocean eyes, but before her stood a woman. She was slightly taller than herself now blonde waves brushed along her shoulders, her olive skin smooth and devoid of the freckles that splattered the bridge of her nose in her adolescence.

"My god, look at you! You look gorgeous!" Enveloping the younger woman in a hug, Julie continued to gush. "You must be beating the guys off with a baseball bat."

"More like a bulldozer, you look amazing too do you even age? I wasn't lying you don't look any different." Grinning she was happy to finally see a familiar face, for the past hour she had been hounded by the wasps of Newport, and she was slowly running out of bull shit to spew at them.

"Oh Rob used to joke about the Kelly charm but I didn't believe him." She kept the charade going, playfully slapping her shoulder. "Have you seen Marissa? Her and Ryan are somewhere around here I saw them walk in."

"No I haven't run into her yet." She decided to keep the small encounter to herself for now. Oceanic eyes moved over her shoulder, and she nodded. "Mr. Nichols."

Caleb Nichols was graying, his age beginning to show on his face with laugh lines and wrinkles. He was still a towering man, standing a foot above his wife, his shoulders broad and still fit for his age. As Julie looked between them it was she could see the resemblance.

"Please call me Caleb." His eyes darted around, his hand playing with whatever was in his jacket pocket. Julie had never seen big bad Caleb Nichols, dare she even think it, nervous. "Have you seen any of Kirsten's garden? It's beautiful, I just showed Jaeme, would you like to see?" He had given her an out, and both women knew it. Julie watched as the blonde weighed her options, before shrugging to herself.

"I'd like that. Lead the way Caleb." She could see the relief wash over his features and the nervousness fade from his grey eyes a smile spread across his lips. He allowed her to walk around Julie before saying a short goodbye to Julie he turned and they fell in step, walking around the pool.

As they disappeared down the path to the gardens, Julie caught sight of Marissa exiting the pool house, walking quickly into the house. _She better have not been pounding back a bottle of vodka in there. _She flittered around the guests that were in the backyard, checking to make sure no one was watching she slipped into the pool house.

Her eyes swept the room, she began to lift pillows, checking drawers and cabinets. Coming up with nothing her eyes fell on the bed and her daughter's purse. Sitting she opened it, finding nothing as she looked in the secret pocket. _Well she isn't going to be a drunken mess, that's a plus. _Her eyes fell on a folded piece of paper, to crisp to have been in there long. She pulled it out and began to read.

_Yes I knew you would be here, Kirsten told me that her adoptive son was dating Julie's daughter, I insisted she make it a welcoming party at the last minute so I would be able to see you. _

_I know it's been a long time, and we barely know each other anymore, but we do need to talk meet me at the lifeguard tower tonight after the party. If you don't come I'll leave you be. I'll be there at around midnight. _

_Alex._

Her eyes scanned the letter a couple times, before she placed it back in the purse, standing she walked on auto pilot. Exiting the pool house unseen, she mixed back in with the wasps, the gears in her brain beginning to move as a plan began to manifest. The smile that graced her lips as she chatted with the party guests was no longer fake.

The garden was more like a maze down to the beach. Kirsten maintained it mostly, but Alex was positive she had professionals come in and help. It was a beautiful night, a gentle breeze keeping them cool, and causing the air to be saturated in the aroma of the flowers they were surrounded by.

"Kirsten was obsessed with flowers when she was growing up, she asked for a rose orchid for her tenth birthday." It was obvious Caleb didn't know how to start this conversation, Alex could see it on his face. They reached a gazebo complete with padded seats, and foot rests. "She spends her weekends here, when she's not swamped with work."

"She should be very proud, it's beautiful. I've never seen anything like this." Alex sat, her hands in her laps, fidgeting. She was nervous too. This man had abandoned her father, this man had abandoned Alessandra Kelly, her grandmother. She didn't know whether to be completely furious, or totally enraged. It was a fine line, she had always told herself. She had made a silent promise to herself to stay calm, as he continued.

"Did you like flowers as a child?" He was desperate, she could see it in his eyes. He was a broken old man, and he was her grandfather. She wanted to hate him, scream at him for leaving her grandmother broken hearted, and alone with a new born at twenty. She wanted to yell and scream, tell him that before she died, her last wish had been only to see him one final time. After everything he had done, she still loved him, until her last breath.

"No I was more of a catch spiders and bugs kind of kid." But she couldn't, not when he looked so lost. As the words hung in the air, a smile crept across his face, his eyes lighting up, and he didn't look so broken anymore. "My mom wanted me to wear dresses, and take ballet, but I wanted to wear shorts and play football with the boys."

"I heard you were a decent wave rider." She laughed and a confused look crossed his face.

"It's called surfing, and I was okay, I'm better now. I didn't get much chance to do it when I was in England. After high school 'd take trips every so often, I was in Australia and Hawaii last year, crazy waves." _Maybe this won't be that bad._

"I've never been to Australia, I'm sure I would get sun stroke, my skin isn't built for the sun." He pulled out a pack of mini cigars. "Would you like one, there hand rolled from Cuba."

"As long as you don't tell anyone, I've cut back on my smoking a lot." She found the smoke no longer gave her the illusion that her lungs were still there, ever since she decided to return to Newport. Almost like they were preparing themselves for the air they had been starving for.

"My lips are sealed." They lit up, smoke billowing into the air. They both let the wind speak for a moment, the scent of the orchids and rustling leaves and snapping branches were its silent words. As their eyes caught, Alex realized where her younger sibling inherited her thunderstorm eyes from. Caleb stared at her, the smile on his face sad. "You look so much like her. Only her hair was the color of melted dark chocolate it was wavy like yours. The shape of your nose, you have her eyes too, I remember the first time I saw them, I had never seen anything so beautiful."

"Okay hold the fuck up for a second. What are you trying to pull here, you left her, and when she came to you with your son, you denied it, but you didn't stop there. Oh no not Caleb Nichols fucking multi billionaire had an illegitimate son and he swept it under the rug." She knew it had been to good to be true, the words stung like a slap across the face, she could see the sadness return to his features. But she was on a roll, and she wasn't going to stop yet. "And to put the icing on top of your seventeen layer cake when he moved back with me, you wanted nothing to do with me and you're going to sit here, and try and spew this bull shit at me? What the fuck do you think all the drugs I did made me fucking retarded? Because guess what they didn't. So please why you don't stop the bull shit and tell me the truth, you've got my dad convinced, but you don't have me. Why did you leave her? Why did you deny it?" Caleb knew that it wasn't a question it was a demand. He took a long drag from his cigar, his eyes looking towards the stars above them.

"I can assure you, it was not my intention to leave her, it wasn't my decision, the world I grew up in had a lot of rules, and my life had been written before I was born, I was groomed from birth, and I had all the advantages in the world. My father was a big name in Newport. Nichols construction built most of the historic buildings here. He was always working, always trying to be one step ahead, in 1954 when I was five, my father created The Newport Group an architecture firm. He bought the prime plots of land, and began to build an empire. It was ingenious for the time. He had cut out the selling point of buying architects to design buildings, and would build it himself, with the Nichols CC, and the profit from it would be 100% his." The wind spoke hushed words as he took a drag from his cigar Alex mimicking his movement.

"The life I lived was controlled. Everything was about appearances. I dated who my parents wanted, I was friends with people because of who their parents were. Everything about my life was someone else decision. I thought nothing of it, because it was all I knew. I graduated high school and college and in 1970, I began to work with my father. He told me something big was going to happen and he needed my help to get it done. It took six months but the call from Kingsley Architecture Limited, the largest firm in England asked for an intercontinental partnership."

"What does this have to do with anything?" She was beginning to lose her patience, he took another drag from his cigar eyes closed as he released the smoke, thunderstorm eyes stared at the glowing ember, the wind spoke more silent words as she waited for him to continue.

"I can tell you I didn't love her, but I would be lying. I could tell you I tried to fight to stay, but that would be a lie as well. It was 1971 when I meet Alessandra. We were in London on business, but he allowed me to skip the meetings. So I was free to do as I pleased. I literally ran into her as I was getting off the underground, and as soon as I saw her I knew I was done for. It was like I was seeing for the first time, as if my heart hadn't beat a moment before I saw her eyes." Alex didn't interrupt as he took a drag from his cigar following suit. The smoke billowed between them, maelstrom and cloudy eyes clashing as he continued. "I was a goner, I helped her and immediately asked her to lunch. It was a done deal from there. There was something about her. I couldn't not be with her. I had never felt anything like it before, I knew when she was in the room because she changed the atmosphere. The air tasted better when she was around, I'm sure I fell in love with her instantly, but I kept it to myself. I was in London for three weeks, and they were the happiest times of my life. We both knew I would be leaving in a week, when I told her of my feelings. She felt the same way and that was when we…" he trailed off his hands gesturing and Alex nodded understanding.

"It was at the next day when my father told me that I would be marrying Katherine Kingsbury, to create a merger between the companies. It was the first and only time I hit my father. I told him about Alessandra hoping he would understand. He wouldn't have any of it. I was his son, and there was no stopping the marriage. I fought hard to stop it, but I couldn't, it was out of my hands, I was my father's only son, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. He wrote a letter to Alessandra, telling her that it was over we left the next morning, and I was forbidden from seeing or trying to contact Alessandra ever again. In 1979, my father passed away, I tried to return to London to find her, and I came up empty handed."

"When Robert came along so many years later, to protect the legacy my father had produced I denied him, and you. My life had been written out for me long before I even got a chance to live. I loved your grandmother. I never loved anyone the way I loved her. So to answer your question, I didn't leave her. She was taken from me, snatched out of my arms by a harsh dose of wasp living, the world where love is a business contract. When Kirsten told me she passed, it was the final blow. I lost her, I can't get her back." His voice was ragged, his breathing heavy. His hand clenched as he tried vainly to hold his tears at bay.

"I don't deserve forgiveness, and I'm not asking for it. You Robert and Jaime all have the right to totally write me off. I haven't been there, I've failed you, even before even trying. But I want you to know, that I only want your happiness. It's all I've ever wanted, and I will do everything in my power to do whatever it takes, to earn your trust."

Silence washed over them, the wind speaking silently again filling the silence that hung in the air. Caleb wiped his eyes, tossing his cigar in an ashtray he stood. Fixing his jacket Alex watched as the mask slipped back on.

"It must suck." Cloudy eyes caught maelstroms. "Having to play a character, it must be draining." She believed him, he was a broken man, with nothing to lose and everything to gain. The words hung in the air, before he nodded towards her, turned and started for the path they had come from.

"She never stopped loving you. There was never anyone else." The words made him stop and turn. He said nothing, but his eyes looked hopeful. "I remember her telling me that you were the most beautiful man she had ever seen. And that when you two would kiss, it was to a silent song." The mask slipped and cracked, and tears rushed out from his eyes.

"Thank you Alex. I should get back to the party, help Kirsten wrap things up."

"Okay, maybe we can go for lunch one day? No business talk." She could feel the joy coming off him in waves, his smile ear splitting and his eyes light.

"I'd like that." And with that he left her in the garden. Alex took a final draw of her cigar, before tossing it in the ashtray as well and standing. She had to drop Jaime off at home, before she went to the beach, and it was already a quarter to eleven. She followed after Caleb, plucking a vanilla orchid as she walked she inhaled the scent, smiling. Maybe things in Newport wouldn't be as bad as she thought they would be.

* * *

Marissa was laughing at Seth when her name was called from across the room. Turning her eyes landed on her mother, who waved her over, a smile for the wasps on her face.

"I'll be right back, Satan calls." Ryan laughed lightly as she gave him a light kiss before moving across the room to her mother. "What's up?"

"Don't what's up me, where have you been all night? I've been looking for you, you need to meet Caleb's granddaughters, and for the love of god please be nice to them." She whisper yelled as she grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the kitchen.

"Why didn't you tell me Alex was Caleb's granddaughter, I know you've known forever probably." she freed herself from her mothers clutches, planting her feet. Marissa was having none of it, she knew her mother, and this was something that she would do.

"How'd you know it was Alex?"

"I had a headache earlier, I slipped out to try and get some rest on the pool house and I ran into her." She crossed her arms over her chest. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Marissa honey, I didn't know if I should tell you, I mean you took that whole thing really hard and I didn't want to bring up bad memories." Julie had prepared for this, she had a feeling when she was talking to Alex earlier that they had bumped into one another the house was only so big.

"So letting it be a surprise is better?" Came the quick retort.

"I thought it would be better than having you stew over it for a week. God Marissa when will you realize I'm on your side?" Julie wondered why she didn't try acting in her earlier years, she had some talent. "I was trying to look out for you, you were a zombie for a year after you guys had your falling out. I don't want to see you like that again." She finished.

Marissa sighed, her mom might have been a bitch, but she in this case she did have her best interest at heart. Untangling her arms she sighed.

"Well let's get this over with, I'm tired and Ryan said he would drive me home soon." She walked ahead of her mother, missing the dark smile her painted lips wore. She waited before following, Marissa entered the kitchen. Julie hung back, watching from a safe distance.

"Marissa Cooper." That wasn't Alex's voice. Turning her eyes landed on the other Kelly sister, she had a brief conversation with the girl, she was entertaining, all dry wit and smiles. "Shouldn't you be at the carnival?"

The door from the backyard opened, and Marissa's lungs inhaled deeply, the air was different now she noticed it immediately. It filled her lungs, and when she exhaled they craved for more, starving for it. She heard the grandfather clock begin its tune for the hour changing, the sound faint in her ears.

"I don't have to stay for the whole thing I was there for a bit, wait what are you doing here?"

"She's my sister." Her voice was like a wave, it flowed over her, caressing her skin with its words lapping gently. "Seems infidelity runs in the family." There was laughter and Alex punched her sister's shoulder. "Go say bye to Kirsten and Sandy, we're leaving." Jaime nodded waving a goodbye to the brunette she left the kitchen, yelling she would see Marissa at school. Julie pressed her body into the wall to avoid being seen as the teen rushed by. "Hi." Maelstrom's locked on the viridian star studded eyes.

"Hi." Julie watched, it was like de ja vu, the airport all over again. The subtle movements, eyes flickering between lips. "She looks just like you, I should have known."

"She doesn't like the spotlight, says it's not for her, so when she moved in with me and dad, she kept her Mom's last name so it's not a dead giveaway." Alex explained. She reached up and brushed a lock of soft hair out of the green eyes. Julie watched as her daughters leaned into the movement, deciding she had seen enough, stepped into the kitchen, clapping and smiling.

"Alex come on, Caleb wants a family photo, you to Marissa get going." She left as quickly as she came to convince her husband he wanted to take a family picture.

"Uh we better go, I'm supposed to be getting a ride home in like ten minutes." The spell they cast upon each other broken by her mother she turned to leave.

"Risks, wait." Her skin was on fire, and it was a good fire. It burned along her body, heating her so deliciously, she wondered if she was high.

"I forgot about that nickname." She blurted out, remembering when she was seven she jumped off a waterfall into the lagoon, Alex said she didn't take enough risks for a seven year old. She showed her, and the nickname Mariska came along, before it shortened into Risks.

"Sorry I didn't mean to." The contact was lost, and the heat was lost with it, sucked out of her body instantly. "I just wanted to know if you read the note?" Marissa read the words that came from the blondes full lips, and knew she was asking if she was going to be there.

"I did, come on let's get this picture out of the way. I have to be somewhere soon." Maelstrom eyes sucked her in briefly before she turned and walked away, she didn't have to look back to know Alex was smiling.

The party was coming to a close, they had taken pictures and everyone was saying goodbye. Marissa was about to get into Ryan jeep after she said her goodbyes, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. A vanilla orchid was presented to her. She took it from the blonde's hands.

"I snatched it from Kirsten's garden, I couldn't help myself, and I hope you still love vanilla." It was another code, she deciphered it quickly, as their breathing synced, heartbeats matching, they weren't touching but Marissa could feel her, she was real, and she was in front of her. This wasn't a dream, it was real. She hadn't been completely sure until now.

"I don't think I ever stopped." she inhaled the fragrance of the flower. The scent of the orchid had nothing on the scent of Alex, but for now this would do. The look on Alex's face was infectious as the smiled widely at each other. "Have a good night, drive safely."

"Yeah, I'll see you around Risks." Turning she walked away, but this time the spell they cast remained. The silent music only they heard was still playing, and as Marissa shut her door, the faint chimes of the grandfather clock stopped a gust of wind carried them away to a place where they would continue to chime their melodic tones for an eternity, in the world they created all those years ago, in an instant of bliss where they created their forever.


End file.
